Apple tablet now in lead but Android devices not far behind, firm's analysis shows

Payments made with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets rose 55% over last year, reaching a total of 19.5% of all transactions processed worldwide in December by Amsterdam’s Adyen.

Apple iPads and iPhones were the most used devices for mobile payments, according to Adyen’s tally, with the iPad accounting for 41% of mobile transactions during the busy September to December holiday shopping period. The Apple iPhone took the second spot with 31.6% of mobile-payment transactions, while Android smartphones stood at 20% and Android tablets at just 6.6%. Microsoft Windows Mobile and BlackBerry devices each accounted for less than 1%.

In terms of smartphones used for mobile payments, “Android looks to be steadily closing the gap on the iPhone’s lead,” Adyen stated. The outfit saw iPhone’s share drop from 68.5% in April 2013 to 60% in December, while Android devices rose from 30.7% to 38.6%. Adyen said that shift appears to be due to the increasing numbers of Android devices, particularly those from Samsung.

This trend in payments made via smartphones and tablets will influence how merchants design payment pages, Adyen points out, adding it’s worth noting that tablets are the preferred mobile device among shoppers now for more high-transaction purchases.

Adyen processes over 250 payment methods, including Visa, MasterCard and American Express, and 187 currencies on six continents, for a total of about $14 billion in payments, and its customers include Groupon, Mango, KLM, CityJet and Vodafone.

Adyens’ analysis covered industries that include travel, retail, ticketing, gaming, and digital goods. In retail, individuals are said to be spending more on average through payments made on tablets than PCs. Roelant Prins, chief commerce officer at Adyen, said it’s vital for merchants to keep up with the evolution of mobile devices and consumer behavior and use this knowledge strategically in their planning.